Pineapple, The

Located a half-mile (1 km) northwest of Airth (Stirling), the Pineapple is a most unusual edifice, built on his estate by John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, in 1761. The pineapple, then a rare delicacy, was a symbol of wealth. The Earl's example was dramatic to say the least; 23m (75 feet) in height, his pineapple is intricately carved from stone. Mounted on top of a rather more traditional Palladian pavilion, the design of this folly has been accredited to Sir William Chambers (1723-96).

Above the south entrance are designs taken from the Douglas-Hamilton coat-of-arms along with the motto Fidelis in Adversis, commemorating the marriage, in 1803, of George Murray, the 5th Earl of Dunmore, to Lady Susan Douglas-Hamilton, daughter of the Duke of Hamilton.

This extraordinary monument was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland in 1974. The Landmark Trust was able to obtain a long-term lease and restored the building to form an unusual holiday retreat.

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